Trainer Henry De Bromhead believes last year's winner and Cheltenham Gold Cup hero A Plus Tard is ready to return as he heads back to Haydock Park for Saturday's Betfair Chase.
The eight-year-old, who landed the Haydock feature by a massive 22 lengths on his first run last year and then took the blue riband at the Cheltenham Festival on his final start, heads the five entries and is the 2-5 favourite with most firms including the sponsors to grab a second successive victory this weekend.
The Cheveley Park Stud-owned gelding is ready to get back on the road to defending his Gold Cup in March, a race he won so comprehensively as Rachael Blackmore became the first female rider to claim the Grade One feature last season. He will face a maximum of four rivals including Nigel Twiston-Davies' triple Betfair Chase hero Bristol De Mai, the Dan Skelton-trained Gold Cup third Protektorat, recent Wincanton winner Frodon from the Paul Nicholls' stable and Joe Tizzard's Eldorado Allen.
And De Bromhead is looking forward to returning to Haydock, where A Plus Tard gave him a first victory at the Merseyside track with his first ever runner.
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The County Waterford-based handler said: "He seems in great form. His work has been really well. Rachael (Blackmore) schooled him this morning and, touch wood, everything went well. It all seems good at the moment.
"It was actually Richard Thompson after Cheltenham the previous year, when he finished second to Minella Indo, said we should run at Haydock. So we said we'd put him away for the year. We all felt he needed to go left-handed and it seemed a great idea (to go to Haydock). It was a nice way to start. We were looked after really well and thankfully everything went well and he won really well on the day."
A Plus Tard had won the Savills Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas in 2020 and then finished second to stable-mate Minella Indo in the Gold Cup in the March after. But after victory at Haydock 12 months ago, he finished second back at Leopardstown in defence of his Savills Chase crown before he reached the pinnacle of National Hunt racing with his stunning 15-length success in the Gold Cup. A Plus Tard is likely to run in the same three races this year as he looks for more success under regular partner Blackmore.
De Bromhead added: "We feel he has done plenty so we are happy with him. When you are only running these horses three or four times a year, you want these runs to count. You hope he is as well as last year and fingers crossed for a nice run.
"Rachael gets a great tune out of him and they were brilliant last year in the Gold Cup and we are looking forward to Saturday and hopefully we will have a bit a luck and we'll see how it unfolds after that.
"Hopefully that is the plan, it is Leopardstown then Cheltenham in March. He had a great season last year and I think that makes senses. He has a preference to go left-handed. He seems to be pretty adapatable on ground, so it looks fine for him.
"He is lovely, he is great. He is lovely to have around. He is laid-back and is a real character. He is great and very straightforward."
Despite being an odds-on favourite and having beaten both his principal rivals – Bristol De Mai and Proktektorat at Haydock and Cheltenham – comfortably, De Bromhead respects those looking to challenge his chasing star.
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De Bromhead said: "I always think they are all to fear. Bristol De Mai has won (the Betfair Chase) so many times. Frodon – you look at his price for what he has done. They are all high-class horses, it is a Grade One. I fear them all to be honest. Protektorat ran really well in the Gold Cup. But it is ideal for us. We are delighted to be going back. The less horses the better for me.
"I am very happy with how they (all his horses) have started the season and I think it has been a good start. With a bit of luck it could have been better."
And on how tactically they will approach Saturday's Betfair Chase, the Irish trainer added: "I haven't given it much thought just yet and that would be more Rachael's department. I would have felt the less runners the better for me. There are less horses to beat. Rachael will go through all of that. We want to get him there in good shape and we are looking forward to the run."
De Bromhead is hoping there is even more to come from a horse who stamped his authority on the staying chase division last season. He said: "I think he strengthed and matured (last year). Maybe it was Rachael is riding him slightly different but not a whole lot. He just seemed to really find himself last year and he has just kept on improving. I hope he is getting better. It is hard to gauge that at home. I don't find I do. You see that more on the track. With the jumpers if you are pushing them to that kind of level at home you would find that they get burned out. But I hope so. Certainly physically he looks a stronger horse again. But we will see. Saturday will tell us a lot.
"He is just so classy he seem to handle any trip. First off I just wanted him to win races. But did I see him as a three-miler, probably not. We only decided a few days before the Savills Chase (in December 2021) that we'd try him over three miles and we have never looked back. I remember in the Ryanair he went off favourite and he just looked like he lacked a gear over the second last down the last and after that I just hoped he was more of a three-miler.
"It is incredible to have both those attributes, the stamina and the speed. Obviously he blew us all away last March. He has a lot of class."
Bristol De Mai was pulled up in last year's Betfair Chase but will again bid for a record-equalling fourth win in the race, despite now being an 11-year-old.
Twiston-Davies said: "I'm doing a bit of a rain dance – let's hope it keeps raining. We are due some rain on Tuesday and Wednesday, so he should be all right.
"He loves Haydock. It would be nice to see him go and do it again. He is in really good form, and we are obviously looking forward to running him.
"It is a tough old race, but there are just five in there. I hope they will name the race after him at some point."
Protektorat was 18 lengths behind A Plus Tard when third in the Gold Cup, while Nicholls' Frodon – a former Grade One Cheltenham Festival scorer – will try to back up his recent victory in the Badger Beer Handicap Chase at Wincanton.
Champion trainer Nicholls told sponsors Betfair: "He seems well, and I've confirmed him this morning. You never know – there's five confirmed at the moment and I think that's all there will be. There might only be three or four runners come Saturday and the intention is to run him at the moment.
"Clifford (Baker) says he has come out of the race (Badger Beer) well and there's a month to the King George. So as long as it doesn't come up desperately heavy, we'll probably go."
Venetia Williams' Royale Pagaille was the only horse taken out of the race from the initial six entries having suffering a slight setback, although connections are hoping he may line up in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury the following week on November 26.
The going at Haydock Park is currently good to soft, soft in places on the chase course with a mixed forecast of rain and dry days up until Saturday.
Clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright said: "The going today is on the chase course, good to soft to soft, on the hurdles it is good to soft.
"We have wet days forecast for Tuesday and Thursday and if the forecast is accurate we will certainly not be any quicker than we are now. We may be a bit softer. We are looking at maybe eight millimetres of rain, Thursday or Friday another three or four and Saturday a better day. I think that should suit us well."
Barry Orr, spokesman for sponsors Betfair, added: "It has never attracted a massive field, the most runner we have had is nine and that was back in 2014. We have had four runners in the race in the past and five go forward this time. A Plus Tard is the 2-5 favourite with Protektorat – who has got a lot to find with him on Gold Cup running - 100-30, with three-time winner of the race Bristol De Mai 7-1 . Eldorado Allen is 12-1 and Frodon is 20-1. In terms of runners it is quality and not quantity and always has been.
"He (A Plus Tard) is the star attraction. It is great when you get a Gold Cup winner running in this race. We have had some fantastic winners down the years with four-times winner Kauto Star. He is the star turn and the quality horse in the field and they have all got to turn up to beat him."
The seven-race card at Haydock Park on Saturday sees the action start at 10.10am with the opening contest, the Betfair Weighed In Podcast Newton Novices’ Hurdle Races due off at 12.10pm – although there is a five-furlong Betfair’s The Race To The World Cup Stakes at 11.30am. The finale, the The Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Steeple Chase, is due off at 3.15pm. Gates open at 10am and tickets are priced from £15 for adults, if booked in advance. For more information and to buy tickets go online at https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/haydock/events-tickets/betfair-chase/
Entries for the Betfair Chase (Grade One) 3m1f125y, Haydock Park Racecourse, Saturday, November 19 2022
1 A Plus Tard (FR) 8-11-10 Cheveley Park Stud Henry de Bromhead (IRE)
2 Bristol de Mai (FR) 11-11-10 Mr Simon Munir & Mr Isaac Souede Nigel Twiston-Davies
3 Eldorado Allen (FR) 8-11-10 J P Romans & Terry Warner Joe Tizzard
4 Frodon (FR) 10-11-10 Mr PJ Vogt Paul Nicholls
5 Protektorat (FR) 7-11-10 Sir A Ferguson G Mason J Hales & L Hales Dan Skelton
5 entries (1 Irish-trained)
